This invention relates to an inventory technique for Digital Signal Level 1 equipment enabling efficient provisioning for dedicated subscribers and for network needs.
Most providers of telecommunications services, such as ATandT, typically offer both dedicated and non-dedicated service. Equipment to provide service is inventoried and assigned at the DS1 level as individual components. Subscribers who only want a connection through the service provider""s network for the duration of a call seek non-dedicated service. In providing non-dedicated service, the service provider establishes a path through its network to the called party upon initiation of a call from the calling party. After completion of the call, the service provider tears down the previously established path. For each successive call made by a subscriber under non-dedicated service, the service provider establishes a path and thereafter tears it down.
Many businesses and institutions that initiate large volumes of telecommunications traffic to a single location, such as a branch office or remote facility, achieve greater efficiency and reduced costs by utilizing a dedicated network path to route such traffic. In contrast to the transient network path associated with non-dedicated service, the network path associated with dedicated service exists before call initiation and remains after call completion. In other words, the network path associated with dedicated service remains available so long as the subscriber requests such service, regardless of the existence of any traffic.
Moreover, within a telecommunications network itself, certain paths are dedicated for carrying non-dedicated, as well as dedicated traffic. For example, a path between two pieces of network equipment, such as a telecommunications switch, and a digital cross-connect system, may be dedicated for carrying conventional switched subscriber service. service. In other words, such a path may carry non-dedicated service, yet remain in place following termination of a call.
The process by which a provider of telecommunications services establishes a path for dedicated service is known as provisioning. Most telecommunications service providers provision a dedicated path, such as a T1 trunk, in the following manner. First, a subscriber makes a service request to the service provider, typically by telephone, facsimile or e-mail. Upon receipt of the request, the service provider takes inventory of its existing inventory of trunks. From its available trunk inventory, the service provider selects an appropriate route that will satisfy the requesting subscriber""s requirements.
Part of the provisioning process invariably involves the creation by the service provider of one or more xe2x80x9cservice paths.xe2x80x9d For purposes of discussion, a service path comprises an intra-office equipment assembly that includes a remotely provisionable network element, typically a remotely provisionable digital cross-connect system (DCS), a service communications link, and a network gateway device, such as a telecommunications switch, a non-provisionable cross-connect system, a multiplexer, or combination of such gateway devices linked to the service provider""s network. Presently, a technician physically wires a path between the remotely provisionable DCS system and the network gateway device to establish the service communications link portion of the service path upon receipt of a provisioning request. Should the subscriber request termination (de-provisioning) of the previously requested service, a technician disconnects the previously wired service communications link. In practice, the technician""s time in connecting and disconnecting the service communications link represents most of the effort and expense associated with such provisioning and de-provisioning requests. Often, much of the delay incurred in satisfying a subscriber request for a change in service stems from delays in connecting and disconnecting the service communications link within the service path.
Thus, there is a need for a technique for reducing the effort needed to establish a service path when provisioning dedicated service.
Briefly, the present invention concerns a method for efficiently provisioning a network, for example, a telecommunications network, in response to a subscriber""s request for dedicated service. To efficiently provision the network, at least one service path is established by and inventoried (tracked in a data base) creating a durable (permanent) service communications link between a remotely provisionable network element, such as a digital cross-connect system (DCS), and a network gateway element, such as a telecommunications switch, or a provisionable cross-connect system. The durable communications link is established before the receipt of the subscriber""s request and remains in place as an idle link upon termination of the service previously requested by the subscriber. To satisfy a subscriber""s request for dedicated service, the service provider remotely provisions the remotely-provisionable network element (i.e., the digital cross-connect system) to provide a communications path through that element and onto the durable service communications link. In this way, the remotely provisionable cross-connect system and the durable communications service link carry traffic to the gateway element for transmission across the service provider""s network to an end point.
In practice, the remotely provisionable element may be re-provisioned upon termination of the requested subscriber service. However, the durable service communications link remains in place. Thus, to re-provision service upon receipt of a subsequent subscriber request, only the remotely provisionable element need be provisioned. With the durable service communications link in place, there is no need for a technician to re-establish the link to provision or terminate subscriber service, thus saving time and effort.